Core Insights - Since the onset of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Ireland's exports to surrounding countries have surged, raising concerns about the circumvention of sanctions through these nations [1] - By the end of 2024, Ireland's exports to Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan are projected to reach nearly €216.5 million, an increase of approximately €95 million compared to 2021 [1] - The EU has identified these countries as having a risk of sanction evasion, and pressure has been applied by the EU, UK, and US on nations accused of facilitating parallel imports to Russia [1] Export Growth - The largest increase in exports from Ireland to these countries has been in essential oils and perfume materials, which surged by 63% to over €95 million [1] - Significant growth has also been observed in the export of metal ores, chemical materials, road vehicles, and machinery [1] - Since the end of 2021, exports to Kazakhstan have risen by 13%, reaching nearly €79.5 million, with key products including essential oils, chemical materials, and fruits and vegetables [1] Sanction Considerations - Recent reports indicate that the EU is contemplating imposing sanctions on Kazakhstan due to its export of raw materials used in weapon production to Russia [1]

Group 1 - The U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has imposed new sanctions on cryptocurrency exchanges Garantex Europe OU and Grinex, along with associated entities and individuals from Russia and Kyrgyzstan, for alleged involvement in money laundering and servicing cybercrime networks [1] - Garantex has been accused of providing services to ransomware operators since 2019, processing illegal transactions exceeding $100 million, and after losing its Estonian license in 2022, it has been operating from Moscow and St. Petersburg [1] - A joint law enforcement operation by the U.S., Germany, and Finland on March 6, 2025, resulted in the seizure of Garantex's servers, confiscation of its domain, and freezing of over $26 million in cryptocurrency assets [1] Group 2 - Grinex is identified as a new platform created by Garantex employees to evade sanctions, utilizing a stablecoin A7A5 pegged to the Russian ruble to transfer customer assets [1] - The entity Old Vector, registered in Kyrgyzstan, is designated as the nominal issuer of the A7A5 stablecoin, with Russian companies A7, A71, A7 Agent, and Moldovan businessman Ilan Shor's associated PSB Bank involved in the project [1] - InDeFi Bank and Exved exchange are accused of assisting Russia in evading sanctions through cryptocurrency for cross-border settlements [1] Group 3 - All sanctioned parties have had their U.S. assets frozen, and U.S. citizens and entities are prohibited from engaging in transactions with them, facing civil or criminal penalties for violations [1] - The co-founder of Garantex, Sergey Mendeleev, along with other key members, has been placed on a wanted list by U.S. authorities [2]